Milla is an insider.

“His Highness has spoken! For efficient work, rest! With this, the imperial court’s first-ever day off has been created!”

Milla shouted confidently, stretching her arms wide, and the people below the platform started to murmur.

“Day off? What’s that?”

“Isn’t it letting us rest?”

“What? We get to rest?”

I felt proud as the reactions I had expected came out.

There were already many idle workers anyway, so giving 2 days of vacation wouldn’t make any impact.

People’s psychology is to be moved by these little things.

This kind of bold proposal should increase the approval rating, right?

“Twice in 7 days! We will give you days off!”

Milla continued her speech refreshingly, true to her personality.

Since she usually had a likable image, no one particularly complained or questioned her.

“Woooooah!”

Cheers burst out at this proposal, which was very radical by this world’s standards.

I slumped down in a corner, crumpled like salt.

My legs gave out, perhaps relieved that the expected reaction came out.

“Rose, are you okay?”

Aaron asked as he helped me up, and I nodded with an enlightened expression.

I was so moved to see the speech I had written over 3 days and nights being well-received.

Is this what they call a sense of achievement?

“My goodness, how did she write such a masterpiece?”

I covered my mouth and looked at Milla on the platform with eyes full of admiration.

This is the pride of a 21st-century global leader!

Ambition!

Beauty! And greatness!

…Or not. It was just a display of my years of experience as a presentation team leader.

“…Rose, you seem to be getting more and more self-conscious.”

“It’s not self-consciousness, it’s self-esteem, my friend.”

I answered while pinching Aaron’s side.

“Ouch! That hurts, Rose!”

“Oh come on, you’re exaggerating.”

I yawned while stretching in my seat.

Once today’s work is done, things will be easier for a while.

I was planning to use this opportunity to get a short vacation from Calix.

“Aaron.”

“What?”

It seemed about time to start looking for the female protagonist.

“Since you’re my friend, can I use your grandfather’s information network?”

“Why my grandfather? Ask me. I know a lot too.”

When I glanced at him, he smiled at me, his eyes half-closed.

“You?”

At my questioning tone, Aaron came closer and whispered softly.

“I’ve worked in the information business too, Rose. You know that, why are you acting like this?”

I pondered for a moment.

‘Should I accept Aaron’s help?’

I don’t know much about the situation outside the palace.

Besides, the existence of the female protagonist wasn’t particularly confidential information that needed to be protected in this world.

Well, it might be a secret to the Duke, but it would all be revealed later anyway, so what’s the harm in finding out early?

For nobles, an illegitimate child wasn’t such a special matter, so even if it was revealed, they’d just go “Oh, nobles being nobles” and move on.

Moreover, I only intended to identify the female lead’s appearance and whereabouts so that I could bring her in at the right time.

So meeting her in advance should be fine, right?

“Okay. Then help me out.”

“What do you need this time?”

For a moment, Aaron’s gaze flashed behind me before quickly returning.

I reflexively turned around.

There’s nothing there. What was that just now?

“What’s wrong, Rose?”

“Did you just see something behind me?”

“I didn’t see anything?”

I held Aaron’s cheeks and looked straight into his eyes.

I had felt it before too.

Those eyes.

“W-why, why are you doing this, Rose.”

“It’s strange…”

I’m sure I saw his pupils change shape.

If it was the first time, I might have thought it was just my imagination, but not the second time.

“Never mind, don’t worry about it.”

I let go of Aaron’s cheeks and stepped back.

Why should I care how he looks at me? Right?

Besides, I had far more important things to do than that.

***

Entering the room, I quickly locked the door.

Then, taking a deep breath calmly, I glared at the diary neatly placed on the desk.

‘Chosen human.’

The elf clearly called me that.

Did they know something?

‘Ah, how do I even find an elf?’

I grabbed my pink hair and messed it up frantically.

Magician, God, and Elf.

Among these three, the easiest to contact was a magician.

It’s extremely difficult for an ordinary person to meet a magician.

The most accessible magicians working as mercenaries are below 5th class.

The magician I met in Desart said that to find out what magic was cast on my book, I’d have to go to the magic tower.

Among the people around me currently, only Calix could meet a magician.

“This is not progressing at all.”

I crept closer to the diary.

I felt lost. Do I really have to endure until Calix becomes the Crown Prince as I had predicted?

All sorts of thoughts came to mind.

Even if I go back, would my physical body that almost got hit by a car still be alive?

Even if my body is fine, if I go back 10 years or 5 years later, will the time on Earth still be the same as when I left?

‘Should I give up?’

I swallowed hard.

Half worry, half fear.

What if I find a way to go back, but my original self has already died?

Do I become a ghost in a soul state?

“Oh, whatever.”

I decided to just close my eyes tightly and open the diary.

The moment I boldly touched the diary, it started drawing a golden magic circle in the air and began turning its pages by itself with a rustle.

I stared at the diary with wide eyes.

With a thud, the page-turning stopped.

And green letters appeared.

Mellory said. Beware of the dragon.

I need to find out who the hell Mellory is first. Moreover, one thing was certain.

This is not Rose’s diary at all.

If it were, there’s no way it would show Hangul and Arabic numerals, which don’t exist in this world.

I stood right in front of the diary, glaring at the newly appeared sentence.

Clues gathered so far.

‘Elf, Hamel Mountain Range cave, and Leviathan.’

Elves are one of the non-human races that serve Morisias.

The Hamel Mountain Range is the cursed land where Morisias is buried.

And Leviathan was related to the princess of Braham, which was destroyed by Levelon, who was associated with Morisias.

“Morisias.”

At my exclamation, the glowing diary instantly went dark.

“So this is why they said to take it to a priest?”

I was dumbfounded.

This can’t be.

I was confused. If this diary was really related to Morisias, it would be a big problem.

In this world, Morisias was treated like a demon, an evil god.

Goosebumps ran from my toes to the top of my head.

My heart was pounding like crazy, and I had no choice but to rush out of my room.

Calix, I had to go to Calix.

I needed to ask for access to the Imperial Library right away.

I needed information about Morisias.

“Your Highness! Are you in there? Your Highness!”

I must have been scared without realizing it.

Unlike usual, I knocked on Calix’s door quite rudely, and the door opened immediately.

“What is it.”

Calix appeared, opening the door with droplets of water still clinging to his hair, fresh from washing.

Seeing his now-familiar face seemed to ease my tension somewhat.

But I was still scared.

“What’s wrong.”

I shook my head desperately.

I had to act rationally.

There was nothing good about Calix knowing that the diary I had was related to Morisias.

“Your Highness, I have an urgent request,”

“I asked why you look like that.”

That’s when it happened.

Calix took my trembling hand and brushed my disheveled hair, damp with cold sweat, behind my ear, meeting my eyes.

“Have you been crying?”

And he gently pulled me into the room.

Thud.

The door closed, and I lowered my gaze, trapped between the wall and Calix.

“I haven’t cried, Your Highness.”

“Which bastard is it.”

Calix asked fiercely, lifting my chin with his finger.

His thumb brushed my eye area.

“Tell me.”

Calix’s face came very close to my field of vision.

My heart started to flutter for a different reason.

“Who is it?”